Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 24 Jan 2020
After seeing the poor character of Saul to begin with and then seeing God step in to equip Saul to lead, the end of chapter 10 chronicles Saul’s coronation as king, although really as we’ll see, he is just the regent over God’s people.
READ PASSAGE: 17 Then Samuel had it announced: “{All} the people to Yahweh at Mitzpah!” 18 Then he said to {all} the children of Israel, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken thus: ‘I am the One who raised {the children of} Israel out of Egypt, and who delivered y’all from the control of {Pharaoh, king of} Egypt - and from the control of all the kingdoms that were oppressing y’all. 19 But now today, y’all are rejecting your God who Himself is the One who saves y’all from all your wrongs and your crises, and y’all are saying, ‘{No}, rather put a king over us.’ So now station yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your precincts.” 20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. 21 So he brought near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of the Matri’s was selected. Then Saul, the son of Kish was selected, but they searched for him and he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further with Yahweh, “Has the man come here?” And Yahweh said, “Look, he’s hiding himself by the gear.” 23 So they ran and got him from there, and he took his stand among the people, and he was taller than any of the people from his shoulder and upward. 24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “Y’all have seen the one whom Yahweh has chosen to Himself, that there is none like him among all the people.” And everyone of the people cheered and said, “May the king live!” 25 Then Samuel dictated to the people the judgment of the kingship, and wrote it in the record, and left it before the face of Yahweh. Then Samuel sent all of the people away, {and} each {of them went} to his {home}. 26 So Saul also went to his house at Gibeah. And {men of} means went with him when {Yahweh} touched their heart. 27 Nevertheless some ungodly characters said, “How is this guy going to save us?” And they despised [him] and didn’t bring a tribute-offering to him. But he kept quiet.
What I want to point out in the passage is how it emphasizes God’s control, every step of the way, in Israel’s history, and how that can encourage us when we’re tempted to think that God has lost control over our political situation today.
By gathering the nation at Mitzpah, Samuel reminded his people that God had recently delivered them from the Philistine army.
“Mizpeh was... that famous place, where they used to assemble the people, and where before Samuel had called the people together, when as that notable victorie was given them against the Philistims, ch. 7.” ~Willett
And as the people gathered at Mizpah, Samuel reminded them in his introduction of God’s deliverances earlier in their history: v.18 “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken thus: ‘I am the One who raised {the children of} Israel out of Egypt, and who delivered y’all from the control of {Pharaoh, king of} Egypt - and from the control of all the kingdoms that were oppressing y’all.”
The LXX adds “from Pharaoh king of,” the Vulgate goes with the shorter reading of the MT, and there are no known manuscripts containing this passage among the DSS. Because it makes sense to develop “from Egypt” to “from the hand of Pharaoh” instead of duplicating it “from Egypt … from Egypt,” I include it in my version.
And besides the deliverance from Egypt, the book of Judges lists all the other oppressors that He delivered Israel from: Judges 2:18 “And when the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered [ישע] them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them…” 10:11-12 So the LORD said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand...” (NKJ)
Likewise, we have seen God deliver our own nation from the violence of native tribes that were in league with the French to overthrow us in the French and Indian War, from the oppression of the corrupt British and their German mercenaries in the War for Independence, and from being overcome by the global ambitions of Hitler and Mussolini and the Japanese Emperor in World War II. God remains sovereign in history to preserve whoever He wants to preserve.
Now, not only had God delivered Israel from oppressors in the past, Samuel quotes God in v.19 as saying that it is God’s continuing nature, in the present, to deliver His people from all their רָעוֹת /adversities/calamities/wrongs and their צָרֹת /tribulations/distresses/crises.
Your God is “the One who saves you” that’s what He does, that is His name; it’s what you can expect Him to do in the here and now!
When you cry out to Him, He will save you!
And not only is God a sovereign savior in the present, He will also be our savior in the future, says the rest of the Bible.
Isaiah 19:19-20 “In that day... When they cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, He will send to them a Savior and Defender, and He will save [σώσει] them.” (NAW)
Matthew 1:21 “...you will call Him by the name Jesus, because He Himself will save [σώσει] His people from their sins.” (NAW)
2 Timothy 4:18 “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve [σώσει] me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever...” (NKJV)
Do you believe that God is in control of the past, present, and future? That He causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him? This is the great comfort of believers that history is not out-of-control; it is under the sovereign guidance of God.
The KJV “was taken” is literally all the Hebrew verb says in vs. 20-21. The word “lot” is not actually mentioned, but the selection of the tribe of Benjamin, the family/clan of Matri, and the individual Saul appears to have been through some kind of randomized process, trusting God to guide it.
Perhaps one person representing each tribe was brought to a consecrated spot, where Samuel selected one of them. “Is this the one, Lord? No? OK, is this the one? No? Then, is this the one? Yes? OK, the candidate for king is in the tribe of Benjamin.”
Or perhaps the priest’s breastplate or ephod with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on it was placed before the lord, and a lot-casting device like the Urim and Thumim was employed to indicate one tribe, much like the throwing of dice. (Num. 27:21, Kimchi)
Whatever the case, God acted sovereignly to make the selection.
Later in v.24, a different verb בחר, meaning “chosen” occurs to describe the same process. God made the choice.
Proverbs 16:33 states, “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.” (NKJV) Nothing happens by mere chance.
And this selection process confirmed the earlier prompting of God to anoint Saul.
God even knew what would win the people over upon their first sight of Saul.
Israel was still a constitutional republic, and no king was put in power without the consent of the representatives of the people. (If you want to study the scriptural proof for this, read Samuel Rutherford’s classic book, Lex Rex.)
As I argued before in my sermons on Leviticus, I believe that in events like this, there wasn’t room to fit every individual person in the nation within hearing of one another, nor was there time to take input from every single individual in the nation, rather “all the people” was represented by a group of elders small enough to be able to hear each other and to each speak their piece. I think that’s why, even though the word “people” in v.24 is singular (denoting the ethnic nation of Israel as a singular whole), the verbs “cried out and said” are plural to denote the plurality of representatives1 who could either acknowledge or reject this candidate for king on behalf of the political districts they represented.
But God was still in control. God chose a man who was a head taller than the average Israelite because He knew that these decision-makers would respond well to Saul’s height, and God got what He planned.
Perhaps the people thought that, since the Philistines were tall (or at least they had a few giant-like warriors in their army), therefore Israel needed an army commander who was also big and tall. Whatever the case, they immediately proclaimed Saul king.
This raises the point that God is also sovereign over elections in our country.
We may not be in quite the same situation as Israel was: God’s people are no longer concrentrated in one nation, so there’s no longer any single nation with favored status in God’s eyes, and there’s far less in the way of specific prophecies for modern-day nations than there was for ancient Israel, but we do have the same God who operates according to the same principles.
He is not surprised to find out who makes it through the primaries. He is not taken off-guard when polling places are subverted and results are skewed. He knows the secrets that never make it into the news. He knows what will appeal to the voters, and how they will vote.
He also understands perfectly what is just. He knows exactly what our nation deserves. He knows what we’re praying for; He also knows what He wants, and He gets what He wants, and nobody can mess up His plans. After we’ve done all we can to do the right things in an election, we can accept the results as God’s providence in our lives and trust Him without getting angry and bitter.
Notice who led the ceremony: Not the most famous entertainer, not the wealthiest tycoon, not the strongest Army commando, but Samuel, the man of God.
God is in charge even in inauguration ceremonies which replace His name in the prayers with ridiculous substitutes and give all the glory to man instead of to Him. That doesn’t change a thing about the reality of His sovereignty. God is still in charge whether the Secular Humanists recognize it or not.
Then, when Saul tried to sabotage the proceedings by hiding himself, God told the people where he was and kept the coronation rolling.
Why did Saul hide? The scriptures don’t give the reason.
Most commentators2 explain that Saul was just being modest and noble.
But the Hebrew verb for “hide” is a rare one centered on avoiding contact with someone else. It’s the same verb used to describe Adam & Eve “hiding” from God in the garden, so it doesn’t have a good connotation.
Maybe Samuel's admonishment that in choosing a king, Israel was rejecting God, was making Saul think twice about becoming king.
Maybe he was just overwhelmed at all the people and at the responsibility of kingship and just wanted some time alone (As Matthew Henry put it, “[T]he affairs of Israel were at this time in a bad posture; the Philistines were strong, the Ammonites threatening: and he must be bold indeed that will set sail in a storm.”), the NICOT commentary attributes it to “fear” and the Jewish Soncino commentary to “self-doubt.”
Whatever the case, he was hiding, trying to forestall the calling God had placed on him. (Don’t shirk your duty; if God calls you to do something, just do it and trust Him!) I think Saul hid because did not trust God and did not want to accept God’s calling.
I’m not sure what sort of baggage he was hiding in: the Hebrew word is used to describe
cooking utensils that people might have brought along for cooking their food during a trip,
weapons which they might have brought along just in case they had to protect themselves,
and tools, which they might have brought along with them, perhaps to assist in building altars and offering sacrifices.
But God can cut through delays and make things happen even when we drag our feet. God points Saul out among the gear, and the people drag him out and acknowledge him as their king.
Then at the end of the ceremony, it was Samuel the representative of God, not Saul the king, who dismissed the people in v.25. The king (or president) is not the top authority; God is, and God wants us to realize this.
What did Samuel write in that record-book?
Most modern English translations follow the Latin Vulgate, which interprets it as a set of rules for the king to follow3.
Now, there were indeed rules established by God for kings, and Deuteronomy 17 reviews them, saying, "When you … set a king over you ... he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses... Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes...” (Deut. 17:14-19, NKJV)
So, I’m sure Saul had to do that, but notice that, in Deut. 17, it’s not the priest who is to copy the law, it’s the king.
Furthermore, what the king is supposed to copy is the “law/תורה" and “statues/חֻקים," but these are not the words used to describe what was written down in 1 Sam. 10; the Hebrew word in 1 Sam. 10:24 is “mishpat,” which is usually translated “judge/judgment/justice.”
Now, the two root words for “judgment” and “king” show up together in one - and only one - other passage in the Old Testament, and that is 1 Samuel 8: 11 “and he said, ‘This will be the justice-system of the king who will reign over y'all: He will take your sons and instate them for himself among his cavalry and among his horses – and they will be running in front of his cavalry – 12 and to instate for himself army-officers – colonels to captains of fifties, and to be plowmen for his plowing and to be harvesters for his harvesting and to be makers of weapons for his army and weapons for his cavalry. 13 He will even take y'all's daughters for spice-mixers and for meat-preparers and for bakers. 14 And he will take the best of y'all's fields and of your vineyards and your olive-trees, and he will give [them] to his staff-members. 15 Furthermore, he will assess 10% of y'all's grains and y'all's grapes and give [that] to his officers and to his staff-members. 16 He will even take y'all's men-servants and y'all's maid-servants and y'all's best oxen and y'all's donkeys and use them for his work. 17 He will also assess 10% of y'all's sheep, and you yourselves will turn into servants for him. 18 Then y'all will cry out during that time as a result of the presence of your king (which y'all chose for yourselves), and Yahweh will not answer y'all during those day{s because y'all chose a king for yourselves}.’”
I believe it is this prophecy from 1 Samuel 8 which Samuel reminded the people of - and wrote down - in 1 Samuel 10, and archived in a sacred place - as a matter of public record - to prove, when it came true, that God knew what He was talking about when He warned them against replacing Him as their lawmaker and defender with a human king.
This is the way that the KJV interpreted it, and Josephus, in the first century AD also understood it as a “witness to future generations of what he had foretold.4”
God is sovereign over the future. He knows what is going to happen to the economy later this year. He knows the future career of our latest Vice President. “He’s got the whole world in His hands!”
Civil authority, according to Romans 13, comes “from God,” is “established” by God, is a “minister” of God and “serves” God!
For this reason, as long as we are able to function within the imperfect governments we have, we are to show respect to those in authority over us. In this passage, God says choosing a king was bad, yet He counts as "children of Belial/worthless/ungodly/troublemakers" those who despise the king once he is instated5. Rebellion against authority not only hurts the nation, it also destroys the analogy to the kingship of God.
This doesn’t mean that we can bow out of politics. We are to give God the recognition He deserves in politics. Use His law as the authority behind our laws rather than using hollow secular philosophies, and call for His aid when we encounter trouble rather than trying to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Pray: “Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever!”
Later prophecy makes it clear that kingship belongs to God and the kingship will ultimately be exercised by God:
Psalm 22:28 “...the kingship belongs to Yahweh; He is ruling among the nations!” (NAW)
Obadiah 1:21 “...the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.” (NKJV)
Revelation 11:15b "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (NKJV)
Chapter 10 closes with God continuing to work behind the scenes, touching the hearts of “men of means”
(remember Saul’s father Kish was described with the same word at the beginning of chapter 9, as a “man of means”).
God is gathering around Saul a group of powerful financial supporters, wise cabinet advisers, and strong soldiers.
It has been suggested that the 30 VIP’s that Samuel introduced Saul to back in Ramah may have also been some of these sons of valor.
I made the point in my last sermon that God sovereignly equips His leaders.
When you see God equipping you (or a leader you know) with good support people, thank God for touching the hearts of those people to help. Ultimately, they’re not there because you’re so great but rather because God came into contact with them and compelled them to help. Praise God for those people.
Likewise, when you encounter critics, a healthy understanding of the sovereignty of God can help you respond patiently and gracefully.
We are not told exactly what Saul was thinking when he “held his peace” with the folks who “despised him” and wouldn’t acknowledge him as king by bringing him tribute-gifts,
but if God has called you into a particular position of leadership, and you hold that position with faith in God, then criticism and political threats really lose their power to frighten you and make you feel insecure. If God’s in charge, then it’s not in anyone else’s power to threaten you.
When Jesus “suffered, He made no threats” (1 Pet. 2:23), and, while there is a place for punishing disrespect for legitimate authority, there is also a place for enduring persecution for the sake of righteousness (Matt. 5:10-12). Rom. 12:19 “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.” (NKJV)
Oh God, please give me to desire Your desires, not to clamour after something less-than-ideal! And please give me a heart that honors You fully as true and total king. And give me grace not to speak ill of the rulers of my nation–however far from ideal they are. Show me how to respect them, yet counteract their evil.
LXX |
Brenton (LXX) |
DRB (Vulgate) |
KJV |
NAW |
Masoretic Txt |
10:1
καὶ ἔλαβεν
Σαμουηλ
τὸν φακὸν τοῦ
ἐλαίου καὶ
ἐπέχεεν ἐπὶ
τὴν κεφαλὴν
αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφίλησεν
αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν
αὐτῷ Οὐχὶ κέχρικέν
[σε
κύριος
εἰς ἄρχοντα
ἐπὶ τὸν
|
1
And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured
it on his head and kissed him, and said to him, Has not the Lord
anointed [thee
for a ruler
over his |
1
And Samuel took a [little]
vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and
said: |
1 Then Samuel took a vialB of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? C |
1 Then Samuel grabbed his bottle of oil and poured it on his head. Then he kissed him and said, “Is it not so that Yahweh has anointed you to preside {over His people? And you will save them from the control of their enemies around them. So this is the sign to you that Yahweh has anointed you to rule} over His inheritance. |
1 וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-פַּךְD הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּצֹק עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶרE הֲלוֹא כִּי-מְשָׁחֲךָ יְהוָה עַל-נַחֲלָתוֹ לְנָגִידF: |
2
ὡς ἂν ἀπέλθῃς
σήμερον ἀπ᾿
ἐμοῦ, καὶ εὑρήσεις
δύο ἄνδρας
πρὸς τοῖς τάφοις
Ραχηλ ἐν τῷ |
2
As soon as thou shalt have departed this day from me, thou shalt
find two men by the burial-place of Rachel on the |
2 When thou shalt depart from me this day, thou shalt find two men by the sepulchre of Rachel in the border[s] of Benjamin to the south, and they shall say to thee: The asses are found which thou wentest to seek: and X thy father, thinking no more of the X asses, is concerned for you, and saith: What shall I do for my son? |
2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the borderH of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath leftI the care of the asses, and sorrowethJ for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? |
2 While you are walking today, after being with me, you will then find two men near the tomb of Rachel in the territory of Benjamin at Tseltsah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found, but look, your father has moved on from the matter of the donkeys; now he is worried about y’all! He’s been saying, “What am I going to do about my son?”’ |
2 בְּלֶכְתְּךָ הַיּוֹם מֵעִמָּדִי וּמָצָאתָ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים עִם-קְבֻרַת רָחֵל בִּגְבוּל בִּנְיָמִן בְּצֶלְצַח וְאָמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ נִמְצְאוּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ לְבַקֵּשׁ וְהִנֵּה נָטַשׁ אָבִיךָ אֶת-דִּבְרֵי הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְדָאַגK לָכֶם לֵאמֹר מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לִבְנִי: |
3
καὶ ἀπελεύσει
ἐκεῖθεν καὶ
ἐπέκεινα ἥξεις
ἕως τῆς δρυὸς
Θαβωρ καὶ εὑρήσ |
3
And thou shalt depart thence, and shalt go beyond that as far as
the oak of Thabor, and |
3 And when thou shalt depart from thence, and go farther on, and shalt come to the oak of Thabor, X there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another X three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine. |
3
Then shalt thou go on X
forward
from thence, and thou shalt come to the |
3 Then you will pass on from there and beyond, and you will go as far as the oak of Tabor, and there, three men going up to God at Bethel will find you, one carrying three kid-goats, and one carrying three round-loaves of bread, and one carrying a container of wine. |
3 וְחָלַפְתָּ מִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה וּבָאתָ עַד- אֵלוֹן תָּבוֹר וּמְצָאוּךָ שָּׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים עֹלִים אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים בֵּית-אֵל אֶחָד נֹשֵׂא שְׁלֹשָׁה גְדָיִים וְאֶחָד נֹשֵׂא שְׁלֹשֶׁתP כִּכְּרוֹת לֶחֶם וְאֶחָד נֹשֵׂא נֵבֶל-יָיִן: |
4 καὶ ἐρωτήσουσίν σε τὰ εἰς εἰρήνην καὶ δώσουσίν σοι δύο ἀπαρχὰςQ ἄρτων, καὶ λήμψῃ ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν. |
4 And they shall ask thee how thou doest, and shall give thee two pres-ents of bread, and thou shall receive them of their hand. |
4 And they will salute thee, and will give thee two loaves, and thou shalt take them at their hand. |
4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. |
4 And they will ask for peace to be with you, and they will give two {servings} of bread to you, which you will accept from their hand. |
4 וְשָׁאֲלוּ לְךָ לְשָׁלוֹם וְנָתְנוּ לְךָ שְׁתֵּיR-לֶחֶם וְלָקַחְתָּ מִיָּדָם: |
5 καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελεύσῃ εἰςS τὸν βουνὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗ ἐστιν ἐκεῖ τὸ ἀνάστημα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, [ἐκεῖ Νασιβ ὁ ἀλλόφυλοςT·] καὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε ἐκεῖ [εἰς] τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἀπαντήσεις χορῷ προφητῶν καταβαινόντων ἐκ τῆς Βαμα, καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν νάβλα καὶ τύμπανον καὶ αὐλὸς καὶ κινύρα, καὶ αὐτοὶ προφητεύοντες· |
5 And afterward thou shalt go to the hill of God, where is the encampment of the Philistines; [there is Nasib the Philistine:] and it shall come to pass when ye shall have entered into the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the Bama; and before them will be lutes, and a drum, and a pipe, and a harp, and they shall prophesy. |
5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is: and when thou shalt be come there into the city, thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp before them, and they shall be prophesying. |
5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of GodU, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a companyV of prophets coming down from the high place with a psalteryW, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: |
5 {Then} afterward you will go to the hill of God, which is where the garrisons of the Philistines are, and, as you are going to the town there, it will come about that you encounter a band of prophets going down from the high place with a harp and a tambourine and a flute and a guitar, and they will be prophesying. |
5 Xאַחַר כֵּן תָּבוֹא גִּבְעַת הָאֱלֹהִיםY אֲשֶׁר-שָׁם נְצִבֵיZ פְלִשְׁתִּים וִיהִיAA כְבֹאֲךָ שָׁם הָעִיר וּפָגַעְתָּ חֶבֶל נְבִיאִים יֹרְדִים מֵהַבָּמָה וְלִפְנֵיהֶם נֵבֶל וְתֹף וְחָלִילAB וְכִנּוֹר וְהֵמָּה מִתְנַבְּאִים: |
6 καὶ ἐφαλεῖται ἐπὶ σὲ πνεῦμα κυρίου, καὶ προφητεύσεις μετ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ στραφήσῃ εἰς ἄνδρα ἄλλον. |
6 And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. |
6 And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into another man. |
6 And the Spirit of the LORD will comeAC upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. |
6 Then the Spirit of Yahweh will advance upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into a new man. |
6 וְצָלְחָהAD עָלֶיךָ רוּחַ יְהוָה וְהִתְנַבִּיתָ עִמָּם וְנֶהְפַּכְתָּ לְאִישׁ אַחֵר: |
7
καὶ ἔσται ὅταν
ἥξει
τὰ σημεῖα ταῦτα
ἐπὶ σέ, ποίει
|
7
And it shall come to pass when these signs shall come
upon thee, --then do thou whatso |
7
When X
therefore
these signs shall happen
to thee, do X
whatso |
7
And let it be, when these signs are comeAE
unto thee, that
thou do X
X as
|
7 So when these signs come to pass for you, do for yourself what your hand finds [to do], for God is with you. |
7 וְהָיָה כִּי תְבֹאֶינָה AG הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּה לָךְ עֲשֵׂה לְךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדֶךָAH כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ: |
8 καὶ καταβήσῃ ἔμπροσθεν XAI τῆς Γαλγαλα, καὶ ἰδοὺ καταβαίνω πρὸς σὲ ἀνενεγκεῖν ὁλοκαύτωσιν [καὶ] θυσίας X X εἰρηνικάς· ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας διαλείψεις ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν με πρὸς σέ, καὶ γνωρίσω σοι ἃ ποιήσεις. |
8 And thou shalt go down in front of X Galgal, and behold, I come down to thee to offer a whole-burnt-offering and X peace[-offerings]: seven days shalt thou wait until I shall come to thee, and I will make known to thee what thou shalt do. |
8 And thou shalt go down before me to Galgal, (for X I will come down to thee), that [thou] mayst offer an oblation, and sacrifice victims of peace: seven days shalt thou wait, till I come to thee, and I will shew thee what thou art to do. |
8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarryAJ, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do. |
8 Then you shall go down ahead of me toward Gilgal, and, you’ll see, I’ll be coming down to you to offer {a} whole-burnt offering {and} to sacrifice peace-sacrifices. For seven days, you shall wait expectantly until I come to you, then I will make known to you what you should do.” |
8 וְיָרַדְתָּAK לְפָנַי הַגִּלְגָּל וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יֹרֵד אֵלֶיךָ ALלְהַעֲלוֹת עֹלוֹתAM לִזְבֹּחַ זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תּוֹחֵל עַד-בּוֹאִי אֵלֶיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתִּיAN לְךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה: |
9 καὶ ἐγενήθη ὥστε ἐπιστραφῆναι τῷ ὤμῳ αὐτοῦ ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ Σαμουηλ, μετέστρεψεν αὐτῷ X ὁ θεὸς καρδίαν ἄλλην· καὶ ἦλθεν πάντα τὰ σημεῖα X ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. |
9
And it came to pass when he turned his back to depart from Samuel,
X
God
|
9
So X
when
he had turned his back to go from Samuel, X
God
|
9
And it was so,
that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, X
God
|
9 So, as he squared his shoulder[s] to walk away from Samuel, it came to pass that God changed him with a new heart, and all {the} signs came to pass on that day. |
9 וְהָיָה כְּהַפְנֹתוֹ שִׁכְמוֹ AO לָלֶכֶת מֵעִם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיַּהֲפָךְ-לוֹ APאֱלֹהִים לֵב אַחֵר וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל- הָאֹתוֹת הָאֵלֶּהAQ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא: ס |
10 καὶ ἔρχεται ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸν βουνόν, καὶ ἰδοὺ χορὸς προφητῶν ἐξ ἐναντίας αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἥλατοAR ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πνεῦμα θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν. |
10 And he comes thence to the hill, and behold a band of prophets opposite to him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of them. |
10
And they came to the |
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. |
10 And he went there to the Hill, and look, there was a band of prophets calling to him, and the Spirit of God advanced upon him, and he prophecied among them! |
10 וַיָּבֹאוּAS שָׁם הַגִּבְעָתָה וְהִנֵּה חֶבֶל-נְבִאִים לִקְרָאתוֹ וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְנַבֵּא בְּתוֹכָםAT: |
11
καὶ ἐγενήθησαν
πάντες οἱ εἰδότες
αὐτὸν ἐχθὲς
καὶ τρίτην
καὶ εἶδον καὶ
ἰδοὺ |
11 And X all that had known him before X came, and saw, and behold, he was X in the midst of the prophets X: and the people said every one to his neighbour, What is this that has happened to the son of Kis? is Saul also among the prophets? |
11 And X all that had known him yesterday and the day before, X seeing X that he was with the prophets, [and] prophesied, X X said to each other: What is this that hath happened to the son of Cis? is Saul also among the prophets? |
11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? |
11 And it came about that everyone who knew him from the day before [and] formerly, when they looked and saw him prophesying with the prophets, then the people said each to his friend, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also with the prophets?” |
11 וַיְהִי כָּל-יוֹדְעוֹ מֵאִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹםAU וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה עִם- נְבִאִיםAV נִבָּא וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אִישׁ אֶל-רֵעֵהוּ מַה-זֶּה הָיָה לְבֶן-קִישׁ הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִיאִים: |
12
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη
τις |
12
And one of
|
12
And one answered |
12 And one of the [same] placeAX answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? |
12 And a man who was from there answered and said, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Wasn’t Saul also with the prophets?” |
12 וַיַּעַן אִישׁ מִשָּׁם וַיֹּאמֶר וּמִי אֲבִיהֶםAY עַל-כֵּן הָיְתָה לְמָשָׁל הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִאִים: |
13 καὶ συνετέλεσεν προφητεύων καὶ ἔρχεται εἰς τὸν βουνόν. |
13
And he ceased
prophesying, and comes to the |
13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. |
13 And when he had made an endAZ of prophesying, he came to the high place. |
13 At any rate, he finished prophecying and went to the high place. |
13 וַיְכַל מֵהִתְנַבּוֹת וַיָּבֹא הַבָּמָה: |
14
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ
οἰκεῖοςBA
|
14
And his kinsman said to |
14
And Saul's uncle said to him, and to his servant: Whither went
you? X
|
14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no whereBB, we came to Samuel. |
14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did y’all go?” And {they} said, “To search for the donkeys. But we saw that there was no [use], so we went to Samuel.” |
14 וַיֹּאמֶר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו וְאֶל- נַעֲרוֹ אָן הֲלַכְתֶּם וַיֹּאמֶרBC לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-הָאֲתֹנוֹת וַנִּרְאֶה כִי-אַיִן וַנָּבוֹא אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל: |
15
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ
οἰκεῖος |
15
And his kinsman said |
15
And |
15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. |
15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Please relate to me what Samuel said to {you}.” |
15 וַיֹּאמֶר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל הַגִּידָה-נָּא לִי מָה-אָמַר לָכֶםBD שְׁמוּאֵל: |
16 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ Ἀπήγγειλεν ἀπαγγέλλων μοι ὅτι εὕρηνται αἱ ὄνοι· τὸ δὲ ῥῆμα τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ X X X. |
16 And Saul said to his kinsman, he verily told me that the asses were found. But the matter of the kingdom X X X he told him not. |
16 And Saul said to his uncle: He told us that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken [to him], he told him not. |
16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not. |
16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He plainly related to {me} that the donkeys had been found.” However, he did not relate to him the matter of the kingdom which Saul had spoken of. |
16 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל- דּוֹדוֹ הַגֵּד הִגִּיד לָנוּBE כִּי נִמְצְאוּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְאֶת-דְּבַר הַמְּלוּכָה לֹא-הִגִּיד לוֹ אֲשֶׁר אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: פ |
17 Καὶ παρήγγειλεν Σαμουηλ [παντὶ] τῷ λαῷ πρὸς κύριον εἰς Μασσηφα |
17 And Samuel summoned [all] the people before the Lord to Massepha[th]. |
17 And Samuel called together the people to the Lord in Maspha: |
17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD toBF Mizpeh; |
17 Then Samuel had it announced: “{All} the people to Yahweh at Mitzpah!” |
17 וַיַּצְעֵקBG שְׁמוּאֵל BH אֶת-הָעָם אֶל-יְהוָה הַמִּצְפָּה: |
18 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ Τάδε εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ [λέγωνBI] Ἐγὼ ἀνήγαγον τοὺς [υἱοὺς] Ισραηλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξειλάμην ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς [Φαραω βασιλέως ]Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐκ X πασῶν τῶν βασιλειῶν τῶν θλιβουσῶν ὑμᾶς· |
18 And he said to the children of Israel, Thus has the Lord God of Israel spoken, [saying,] I brought up the [children of] Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you out of the hand of [Pharao king of] Egypt, and out of X all the kingdoms that afflicted you. |
18 And he said to the children of Israel: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingXs who afflicted you. |
18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: |
18 Then he said to {all} the children of Israel, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken thus: ‘I am the One who raised {the children of} Israel out of Egypt, and who delivered y’all from the control of {Pharaoh, king of} Egypt - and from the control of all the kingdoms that were oppressing y’all. |
18 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶלBJ-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ף כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנֹכִי הֶעֱלֵיתִי BK אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם וָאַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם BLוּמִיַּד כָּל-הַמַּמְלָכוֹת הַלֹּחֲצִיםBM אֶתְכֶם: |
19 καὶ ὑμεῖς σήμερον ἐξουθενήκατεBN τὸν θεόν X, ὃς αὐτός ἐστιν ὑμῶν σωτὴρ ἐκ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ὑμῶν καὶ θλίψεων ὑμῶν, καὶ εἴπατε Οὐχί, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ὅτι βασιλέα στήσεις ἐφ᾿ ἡμῶν· καὶ νῦν κατάστητε ἐνώπιον κυρίου κατὰ τὰ σκῆπτρα ὑμῶν καὶ κατὰ τὰς φυλὰς ὑμῶν. |
19 And ye have this day rejected X God, who is himself your Deliverer out of all your evils and afflictions; and ye said, Nay, but thou shalt set a king over us: and now stand before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your families. |
19
But you this day have rejected your God, who |
19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulationsBO; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousandsBP. |
19 But now today, y’all are rejecting your God who Himself is the One who saves y’all from all your wrongs and your crises, and y’all are saying, ‘{No}, rather put a king over us.’ So now station yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your precincts.” |
19 וְאַתֶּם הַיּוֹם מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת- אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר-הוּא מוֹשִׁיעַ לָכֶם מִכָּל- רָעוֹתֵיכֶם וְצָרֹתֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ לוֹBQ כִּי- מֶלֶךְ תָּשִׂים עָלֵינוּBR וְעַתָּה הִתְיַצְּבוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם וּלְאַלְפֵיכֶםBS: |
20 καὶ προσήγαγεν Σαμουηλ πάντα τὰ σκῆπτρα Ισραηλ, καὶ κατακληροῦταιBT σκῆπτρον Βενιαμιν· |
20 And Samuel brought nigh all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is taken by lot. |
20 And Samuel brought [to him] all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin. |
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was takenBU. |
20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. |
20 וַיַּקְרֵב שְׁמוּאֵל אֵת כָּל-שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּלָּכֵדBV שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן: |
21
καὶ προσάγει
σκῆπτρον Βενιαμιν
εἰς φυλάς X,
καὶ κατακληροῦται
φυλὴ Ματταρι·
[καὶ
προσάγουσιν
τὴν φυλὴν Ματταρι
εἰς ἄνδρας]
καὶ κατακληροῦται
Σαουλ υἱὸς
Κις. καὶ ἐζήτ |
21
And he brings near the tribe of Benjamin by X
families,
and the family of Mattari is taken by lot: [and
they bring near the family of Mattari, man by man,]
and Saul the son of Kis is taken; and |
21
And he brought the tribe of Benjamin |
21
When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by |
21 So he brought near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of the Matri’s was selected. Then Saul, the son of Kish was selected, but they searched for him and he was not to be found. |
21 וַיַּקְרֵב אֶת-שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן לְמִשְׁפַּחְתָּו BX וַתִּלָּכֵד מִשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּטְרִיBY וַיִּלָּכֵד שָׁאוּל בֶּן-קִישׁ וַיְבַקְשֻׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָא: |
22 καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν [Σαμουηλ]BZ ἔτι ἐν κυρίῳ Εἰ ἔρχεται X ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐνταῦθα; καὶ εἶπεν κύριος Ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς κέκρυπται ἐν τοῖς σκεύεσιν. |
22 And [Samuel] asked yet again of the Lord, Will the man come X hither? and the Lord said, Behold, he is hid among the stuff. |
22
And after
this
they consulted the Lord whether he X
would come X
thither. And the Lord answered: Behold he is hidden at |
22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thitherCA. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuffCB. |
22 So they inquired further with Yahweh, “Has the man come here?” And Yahweh said, “Look, he’s hiding himself by the gear.” |
22 וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ-עוֹד בַּיהוָה הֲבָא עוֹדCC הֲלֹםCD אִישׁ ס וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה הִנֵּה-הוּא נֶחְבָּאCE אֶל-הַכֵּלִים: |
23
καὶ ἔδραμ |
23
And |
23
And they ran and fetched
him thence: and he stood in the midst of the people, and he was
higher than any of the people from |
23 And they ran and fetchedCF him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulder[s] and upward. |
23 So they ran and got him from there, and he took his stand among the people, and he was taller than any of the people from his shoulder and upward. |
23 וַיָּרֻצוּ וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ מִשָּׁם וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם וַיִּגְבַּהּ מִכָּל-הָעָם מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמָעְלָהCG: |
24
καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ
πρὸς πάντα τὸν
λαόν Εἰ ἑοράκατε
ὃν ἐκλέλεκται
ἑαυτῷ
κύριος, ὅτι οὐκ
ἔστιν αὐτῷ ὅμοιος
ἐν πᾶσιν |
24
And Samuel said to all the people, Have ye seen whom the Lord has
chosen to
himself,
that there is none like to him among |
24
And Samuel said to all the people: |
24
And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him
whom the LORD hath chosen X,
that there
is
none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted,
and said, [God]
|
24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “Y’all have seen the one whom Yahweh has chosen to Himself, that there is none like him among all the people.” And everyone of the people cheered and said, “May the king live!” |
24 וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-כָּל-הָעָם הַרְּאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר-בּוֹ יְהוָה כִּי אֵין כָּמֹהוּ בְּכָל-הָעָםCJ וַיָּרִעוּ כָל-הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ: פ |
25 καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ βασιλέωςCK καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐν XCL βιβλίῳ καὶ ἔθηκεν ἐνώπιον κυρίου. καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν Σαμουηλ πάντα τὸν λαόν, [καὶ ἀπῆλθεν] ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ. |
25
And Samuel told the people the manner
of the king, and wrote it in |
25
And Samuel told the people the law
of the kingdom, and wrote it in |
25
Then Samuel told the people the mannerCM
of the kingdom, and wrote it
in |
25 Then Samuel dictated to the people the judgment of the kingship, and wrote it in the record, and left it before the face of Yahweh. Then Samuel sent all of the people away, {and} each {of them went} to his {home}. |
25 וַיְדַבֵּר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-הָעָם אֵת מִשְׁפַּט הַמְּלֻכָה וַיִּכְתֹּב בַּסֵּפֶר וַיַּנַּח לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיְשַׁלַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-כָּל- הָעָם COאִישׁ לְבֵיתוֹ: |
26
καὶ X
Σαουλ
ἀπῆλθεν
εἰς τὸν οἶκον
αὐτοῦ εἰς
Γαβαα· καὶ
ἐπορεύθησαν
υἱ |
26
And Saul departed to his house to Gabaa; and there went with |
26
X
Saul
also departed to his own house in Gabaa: and there went with him |
26
And Saul also went X
home
to Gibeah; and there went with him |
26 So Saul also went to his house at Gibeah. And {men of} means went with him when {Yahweh} touched their heart. |
26 וְגַם-שָׁאוּל הָלַךְ לְבֵיתוֹ גִּבְעָתָה וַיֵּלְכוּ עִמּוֹCR הַחַיִל אֲשֶׁר-נָגַע אֱלֹהִיםCS בְּלִבָּם: |
27
καὶ υἱοὶ
λοιμοὶCT
εἶπαν Τί σώσει
ἡμᾶς οὗτος;
καὶ ἠτίμασανCU
αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ
ἤνεγκαν αὐτῷ
δῶρ[α].
|
27 But evil men said, Who is this man that shall save us? and they despised [him], and brought him no gifts. 11:1 And it was about a month. |
27
But the children
of
Belial
said: X
Shall
this fellow be able to save us? And they despised [him],
and brought him no present[s];
but he |
27 But the children of BelialCV said, How shall this man save us? And they despised [him], and brought him no present[s]. But he held [his] peace. |
27 Nevertheless some ungodly characters said, “How is this guy going to save us?” And they despised [him] and didn’t bring a tribute-offering to him. But he kept quiet. |
27 וּבְנֵי בְלִיַּעַלCW אָמְרוּ מַה-יֹּשִׁעֵנוּ זֶה וַיִּבְזֻהוּ וְלֹא-הֵבִיאוּ לוֹ מִנְחָהCX וַיְהִי כְּמַחֲרִישׁ: פ |
1
The same thing occurs in v.25 where “all the people”
[singular] is followed by a plural verb “they went.”
Cf.
Matthew Henry: “Saul's nomination to the
throne is here made public, in a general assembly of the elders of
Israel, the representatives of their respective tribes.”
Delitzsch:
“is the nation in its heads and
representatives”
John Gill: “the
heads and elders of the people, their representatives”
2 e.g. Josephus, Matthew Henry, Delitzsch, Goldman, Gill
3This was also the take of Matt. Henry, Delitzsch, Ben Gershom, Tsumura (NICOT), and Jamieson Fausset & Brown. It was also Gill’s position, but he denied that it had to do with Deut. 17. Goldman suggested it was a new “constitution.”
4 Josephus, Antiquities, Book 6, Chapter 4
5 Josephus commented that it was the majority of the men who despised Saul.
AMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The
only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing any
part of this passage is 4Q51
Samuela,
which contains fragments
of 10:3-18 & 24-27
(highlighted in purple), and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C.
Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT,
I have highlighted
with
yellow the LXX
and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that
into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.
B NASB, NIV, ESV = flask
C Wycliffe, ESV & NET Bible insert the text in the LXX and Vulgate here. In addition to the versions listed here, the extra text is also not in the Revised Version or the Geneva Bible.
D The only other use of this word in the Hebrew Bible is in the anointing of Jehu in 2 Kings 9.
E
Willett: “...it seemeth that Saul had used some resistance,
refusing to be anointed, and that Samuel did perswade and pacifie
him with these wordes [‘should I not... do thus: for Jehovah
hath anointed’], shewing that it was the will of God, that it
should be so.”
Delitzsch: “‘Hath not Jehovah
(equivalent to ‘Jehovah assuredly hath’)… ”
F Cf. 9:16, when God said this to Samuel
G Cf. φροντίζῃ in 9:5
H NASB, ESV = territory
I NASB = ceased [to be concerned], NIV = stopped [thinking]
J NASB = is anxious, NIV = worried
KCf. 9:5 (in which the only difference is a synonym for “leave/forget/quit” יֶחְדַּל) – exactly as Saul predicted of his father.
L Cf. synonyms used by Aquila and Symmachus: A = perimetra (“approximate measures?”), S = kolluraV (“binders?”)
M Cf. synonyms: A = amforea (“carry-all?”) S = nebel (transliteration, rather than translation of the Hebrew word)
N NASB, ESV = oak, NIV = great tree
O NASB = jug, NIV, ESV = skin
P DSS has an additional word here: כלובי (“baskets of”)
QLit. “first-fruits,” Aquila, the 2nd century Jew who re-translated the Hebrew OT into Greek, corrected the LXX here to match the MT by removing this word; however this doesn’t change the meaning.
R DSS matches the LXX with an extra word not in the MT: תהופות (“turnings” or “wave offerings”?) Willett suggests that they gave bread because they saw that Saul was very faint and either had extra bread with them for their own food or determined that “it was a greater worke of pietie to feede the hungrie.”
SKittel noted that some manuscripts have this preposition, even though it’s not in the MT tradition. Either way, it’s assumed, so there’s no difference in meaning.
TThis seems to be an alternate translation of the previous phrase that wasn’t erased in the editing process. It reads “garrison” as though it were a proper name (“Nasib”), but no such person by that name is mentioned elsewhere in the LXX.
U NIV transliterated the first word “Gibeah of God,” and ESV transliterated both words as “Gibeath-elohim”
V NASB= group, NIV = procession (also in v.10), I prefer Brenton = band, which is a literal translation of chebel.
W Modern English versions call these four instruments: harp/lyre, tambourine, flute, and lyre/harp.
X LXX, Syriac, and some Hebrew manuscripts add “and” here, and there is room for it in the DSS, although the text is illegible here.
Y This is the same word for the “hill” where the Ark of the Covenant had been transferred to in 7:1, but the context might argue otherwise, as Willett explained, “It was rather the high place of Gibeah, which is called Gibeah of Benjamin, where there was a garrison of the Philistims (13.2)... and where Saul’s father, and his uncle and kindred dwelt, v. 14... It is called the hill of God, because there was a College of the Prophets consecrated unto the service of God...”
ZThe word “garrisons” is plural construct in the MT, but singular in the Vulgate, Syriac, and all the English versions. Greek LXX is not conclusive because neuter singular and plural are spelled the same. “The plural form probably denotes a composite structure of buildings such as palaces and fortresses.” ~Tsumura
AADSS תי והיה- which seems to be a defective abbreviation of “Philistines” followed by a more-proper future-tense form of the verb of being. Hebrew grammar is loose enough around the vav-consecutive rule that the MT spelling, although properly denoting past tense, can still be interpreted future tense, so no change of meaning is here.
ABText
is illegible in the DSS at this point, but there is not room for
this word inbetween the words which are legible. This word is in the
LXX and Vulgate, however.
Delitzsch: “The nebel
was an instrument resembling a lyre;
the kinnor was more
like a guitar than a
harp.”
AC NASB = “come mightily,” NIV = “come in power,” ESV, Symmachus = “rush.” Same in v.10
AD The three instances before this of this word are referring to the Spirit filling Sampson in Judges 14:6 & 19 and 15:14.
AE KJV follows the literal meaning of the Hebrew verb. NIV/ESV render figuratively “are fulfilled/meet.”
AF In an unusual turn, it’s the NIV & ESV which follow the Hebrew and Greek literally with “...for yourself what your hand finds, for...” and it’s the KJV and NASB which translate the phrase figuratively!
AG Qere corrects this word’s spelling by removing the yod, but no change in meaning.
AH Other instances of “your hand finds” are: Jdg. 9:33 (Zebul to Abimelech); 25:8 (David to Nabal); Ps. 21:9; & Eccl. 9:10.
AIThe original (unpointed) Hebrew text could support either the pronoun “me” or the location “Gilgal” as the object to this preposition “before.” The LXX interpreters in the first century BC went with the latter, and the Masoretic interpreters went with the former in the vowel pointing they added in the ninth century AD.
AJ All other English versions = “wait”
AK Delitzsch asserted that the “circumstantial clause which follows” “required” yarad to be considered an independent verb, its imperfect form “suppos[ing] his going down as a possible thing that may take place at a future time… an occurrence which... would take place at some time or other.” Tsumura, on the other hand, interpreted it as a vav consecutive in chain with the previous imperative “do” and thus as a command to “go down.” I’m inclined to side with Delitzsch.
ALDSS spells this verb in the direct-action qal stem rather than the indirect-action hiphil stem, but no real difference in meaning except perhaps the MT spelling would leave more room for helpers handling the offerings while he presided.
AMLXX & Vulgate read singular “offering;” the DSS is obliterated at this point, but word spacing of legible sections of this verse could support a singular spelling, although not necessarily. LXX, Vulgate, some Targums, and all English versions also add an “and” here.
AN This is only the second instance of this root in the OT since Noah’s “wait” on the ark in Gen. 8. Cf. Psalm 147:11 “The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.”
AOText is illegible in the DSS at this point, but there is no room between the legible portions of this verse in the DSS to include this word “his shoulder/back;” it is, however in the LXX & Vulgate. Perhaps it should also be noted that everywhere else this noun occurs in this book (9:2 & 10:23), it is translated “shoulder” and it refers to Saul’s height.
APDSS has a definite article here, matching the definite article in LXX, but our God is definite either way, so there’s no difference in meaning.
AQText is illegible in the DSS at this point, but there is not room for this word in between the words which are legible, matching the LXX which also omits this word.
ARCf. synonyms in A = enhulisqh (“was inhabited”) and S = efwrmhsen (“rushed upon”)
ASLXX & Syriac as well as 2 Hebrew manuscripts read singular “he came.” Word spacing in the DSS could support this, but the text is illegible here.
ATText is illegible in the DSS at this point, but there is not room for this word inbetween the words which are legible. This word is, however, in the LXX & Vulgate.
AU This figure of speech is unique to the author of 1 & 2 Samuel (cf. 1 Sam. 4:7; 14:21; 19:7; 2 Sam. 5:2). Since its first instance is a quote from Philistines, I wonder if it is Philistine in origin.
AVThere is space before this word for additional words not in the MT (Perhaps the αυτος/“he” inserted in the LXX? Even so, that would not change the meaning). The next two letters in the DSS are -מת, not matching the MT, but possible to prefix onto the next word in the MT. The MT reading is a Niphal participle (“prophecying” - there is no Qal form), whereas the DSS suggests a Hitpael participle (“prophecying to himself”), so no real difference in meaning. The combined witness of MT & DSS weigh against the LXX omission of this word, although, without the word, the implication remains that, if he was “among the prophets,” he was prophesying with them, so the LXX’s omission does not introduce a different meaning.
AWSyriac, Arabic, & some Latin manuscripts support singular “his” instead of the MT “their,” but the DSS supports “their.”
AX Literally “from there,” NIV interpreted as a figure of speech = “who lived there”
AYPerhaps perhaps the teacher in the school of prophets was considered a kind of “father” (1 Ki. 2:12), in which case, “Who is their father?” might be a way of saying, “We don’t know who’s in charge there so no wonder something unexpected happened.” Later in Saul’s life, I could imagine that event being related to other unexpected things Saul did, as in, “That was so rash, it couldn’t have come from Kish’s side of the family; where on earth could that craziness come from? Well, there was that one time Saul was with those prophets, so maybe he got something weird from them!”
AZ NASB = finished, NIV = stopped
BA In the second century AD, Aquila specified that it was his father’s brother = patradelfoV, and Jerome specified that it was Abner.
BB NASB, NIV, and ESV add “to be found,” which is not in the Hebrew or Greek.
BCLXX, Vulgate, and some Syriac and Targums read plural, “they said,” and there is probably space in this illegible part of the DSS to support the extra letter it would take in Hebrew to make it plural.
BDLXX & Vulgate read “to thee” (singular) whereas MT reads “to you” (plural). Word spacing in this obliterated portion of the DSS could support either, but the Vulgate supports the LXX.
BEAlthough this part of the verse is obliterated in the DSS, there doesn’t appear to be room for as many characters in the DSS as are found in the MT. This would support the NIV’s omission of “to his uncle” and a singular rather than plural pronoun here “to me” rather than “to us,” as is found in the LXX. Either way, it doesn’t change the story.
BF NASB, NIV, ESV = “at” (translating he Hebrew directional he)
BG This is the only Hiphil (causative) form of this verb for “cry out” in the OT.
BH There is a great deal of extra space in the DSS between the legible portions of v.16 and of v.17, which could support the extra word “all” found in the LXX, although extra space could also be explained in terms of a paragraph break. The only paragraph breaks in the MT [פ] that are not obliterated in this DSS manuscript of 1 Sam are at 2:10, 10:27, 12:17, 24:16, and 30:25, where there are no spaces or new lines started in the DSS, and 10:16, 27:12, 28:2, 28:25, and 30:31, where there is a space or a new line in the DSS before starting the next verse. This inconsistency in the DSS makes it harder to reconstruct its original text in its deteriorated sections. It also means we can’t assume that the word “all” was not there in this obliterated part of the DSS, where there is extra space with no words in the MT, especially considering how the LXX is so consistently a slavish, word-for-word translation of the Hebrew, and considering that the word “all” is present in the parallel statement in the next verse in the DSS (which see).
BI I suspect this addition is just for the sake of Greek grammar which traditionally doubles up on the verbs of speaking before a quote.
BJ DSS adds lwk “all” here, but the LXX followed the shorter reading of the MT – or perhaps interpolated the word “all” back into the previous verse.
BKLXX and a couple of Hebrew and Latin manuscripts insert “children of.” Some Hebrew manuscripts read “y’all” instead of Israel. But all these variants denote the same group of people, so it is not actually a variant in meaning. The DSS is obliterated at this point.
BL The LXX adds “from Pharoah king of,” the Vulgate goes with the shorter reading of the MT, and there are no known manuscripts containing this passage among the DSS. Because it makes sense to develop “from Egypt” to “from the hand of Pharoah” instead of duplicating it “from Egypt … from Egypt,” I include it in my version.
BM Cf. Judges 2:18 & 10:11-12. This would also be God’s role in the future : Isa. 19:20
BNCf. synonyms for the LXX “discounted/made nothing of” in other early Greek versions: Aquila (A) = aperriyate (“ripped away”), Symmachus (S) = apedokimasate (“disrespected/thought away”), Theodotion (Q) = apwsasqe (“stood away from?/abandoned”)
BO NASB, NIV, and ESV all read “calamities and distresses”
BP NASB & NIV = “clans”
BQThis section is obliterated in the DSS, but so many Hebrew manuscripts read al (“No”), along with the LXX, Targum, Vulgate, and Syriac that it seems best to go with them, although the KJV and ESV went with the MT “to him.” Both Hebrew words would be pronounced the same way, so it would be easy for a copyist taking dictation to get the two words confused. As usual, it doesn’t change to the meaning of the text; the context makes the statement oppositional whether or not the word “No” is present, and the object of address is clearly God, whether or not it is explicitly stated “to Him.” (And apparently some manuscripts put both of these words in for good measure!)
BRThis is an echo of 1 Sam. 8:7 “Then Yahweh said to Samuel, ‘Give heed to the voice of the people, concerning all that they say to you, for it is not you that they have rejected, rather it is me that they have rejected from being king over them,’” and of the Covenant curses of Lev. 26:13ff “I am Yahweh, y'all's God who delivered y'all out of the land of Egypt from being slaves to them – yes, I shattered the bondages of y'all's yoke; I caused y'all to rise up and walk. 14 But if y'all don't give heed to me and y'all don't do all of these commands, 15 and if you despise my statutes, and if your souls disdain my judgments, failing to do any of my commands such that y'all break my covenant, 16 indeed, I myself will do the following to y'all: I will visit dismay upon y'all, emaciation and scarlet fever that fades out eyes and causes a soul to pine away, and y'all will sow your seed in vain, for y'all's enemies will consume it. 17 Also I will set my face regarding y'all, and y'all will be struck down before the faces of your enemies, and those who hate y'all will tyranize you; y'all will flee when there is not even anyone hunting you down...” (NAW)
BS“The first subdivision of the tribe, and apparently synonymous with ‘families’ or clans...” ~Goldman, Soncino
BT Aq. corrected to the MT with katelhfqh (“taken down”)
BU NIV = “chosen” also in v.21. Later in v. 24, a different verb בחר occurs, which the NIV also translates “chosen.”
BV Generally meaning “caught/captured.” Perhaps one person representing each tribe was brought to a consecrated place and one of them was selected. Perhaps the priest’s breastplate or ephod with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on it was placed before the lord, and the lot-casting device called the Urim and Thumim was employed to indicate one tribe, much like the throwing of dice, although perhaps they were grabbed with the hand rather than thrown to a surface, thus the verb “caught/captured.” Whatever the case, God acted sovereignly to make the selection.
BW The pronoun is singular in both Hebrew and Greek. The KJV makes it plural. The NIV omits it, “clan by clan.”
BX This is a unique spelling. The Masorites corrected the spelling to לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו (changing the vowel pointing on the 4th and 5th consonants from sheva [ə] + holem [ō] to sere [e] + sheva [ə]) to match the instances of the same word in Num. 2:34; 11:10; and 1 Chr. 5:7, but it makes no difference in meaning.
BY This forefather of Saul is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. “[I]t seems to have its name from the butt or mark arrows were shot at; some of the Benjamites being famous for their skill in darting and slinging, and perhaps this family might be so...” ~Gill
BZ The LXX (“Samuel asked”) and MT (“they asked”) could be reconciled in that the people may have asked Samuel, and Samuel asked God on behalf of the people, so this variant doesn’t change the story.
CA ESV = “Is there a man still to come?” NASB & NIV = “Has the man come here yet?”
CB NASB, NIV, ESV = “baggage”
CCThis word is missing in the LXX, Old Latin, Vulgate, and Syriac. The DSS is too disintegrated at this point to compare. The question means pretty much the same thing with or without this adverb, however.
CD This is one of only 12 instances in the OT of the adverb for “here/hither.”
CE This is only of only 14 passages in the OT with this verb, the first of which is Gen. 3:10 where Adam & Eve hid themselves from God. Every instance has to do with avoiding an encounter with another person.
CF NASB, ESV = “took”
CG Repeated from 9:2
CHSymmachus’ version has a word more like the MT hlalaxan (“expostulated”). It would be easy to mistake the resh (ר) for a dalet (ד) and get “knew/acknowledged” instead of “shouted,” and this appears to be what happened with the LXX, some old Latin translations, and even some Hebrew manuscripts, but “acknowledged and said” doesn’t change the story.
CI The Hebrew verb has to do with “living” rather than “saving,” and is reflected in the NASB, NIV, and ESV “[Long] live the king!” (Targum = "let the king prosper") although the sentiment is practically the same.
CJThis one letter which survived in the DSS from this verse could support either the LXX “all of y’all” (בכלכם) or the MT “all the people” since, in Hebrew, both phrases end with this letter. The juxtaposition with the plural verb makes me wonder if “all the people” is a contracted form of “all the representatives of the people” which would form a plurality of persons rather than the singular “the whole ethnic group.”
CK Syriac and a Targum read “king” with the LXX instead of the MT “kingship” but this is not a significant difference.
CL The original Hebrew text of the word for “book” had no vowel pointing and could have been interpreted as indefinite (as the LXX, Vulgate, KJV, NIV, and ESV did) or definite (as the MT and NASB did).
CM NASB = “ordinance[s],” NIV = “regulation[s],” ESV = “[rights and] dut[ies],” Literally “judgment”
CN NASB = “placed,” NIV = “deposited”
CO DSS reads [ו]וילכו ...למכומ “and went … to his place,” which is also the reading of the LXX. DSS & LXX predate MT by about 1,000 years. It seems more likely that “to his house” from the next verse would be accidentally duplicated here by the MT copyists than that a separate word be invented here by the DSS and LXX copyists.
CP Aquila and Symmachus emended the plural to the MT singular, the former going with “wealthy one” (ευπορια) and the latter with “powerful one” (δυναμις).
CQ NASB, NIV, ESV = “valiant/valor”
CRDSS reads ynb “sons of/men characterized by,” corresponding to the Latin, Vulgate, and LXX. The LXX repositions this preposition in the MT to the end of the sentence in such a way that it seems to be an editorial addition, but since they understood the “going” of “the men of valor” as being “with Saul” rather than going in separate directions, the meaning is the same.
CS DSS reads hwhy, corresponding to the LXX “Lord” - it is the same person, however as the elohim of the MT.
CT Cf synonyms from A = apostasiaV (those who lacked standing/rebels), S = anupotaktoi (insubordinates/unruly men)
CU Cf. A = exouqenhsan (“made out to be nothing”) and synonyms in v.19
CV NASB = “worthless men,” NIV = “troublemakers”
CWDSS prefixes “Belial” with a definite article (also found in the D-R and KJV), but, being a proper noun, Belial is already definite, so there’s no difference in meaning.
CXDSS has the following inserted: “Then Nahash, king of the sons of Ammon himself had been oppressing the children of Gad and the children of Reuben - by force and gouging out among them every right eye and gave no opportunity for Israel to be saved. There was not left even a man of the children of Israel who was on the other side of the Jordan to whom Nahash King of the children of Ammon had not gouged out every right eye. Yet, there were seven thousand men who escaped. And it was about a month...” (The last phrase supports the LXX 11:1)
y?wm /ya /tnw /ymy /yu lwk <hl rqnw hqzjb /bwar ynb taw dg ynb ta Jjl awh /wmu ynb ilm ?jnw
hw /ymy /yu lwk /wmu ynb ilm ?jn wl rqn awl r?a /dryh rbub r?a lar?y ynbb ?ya ra?n awlw lar?yl/
?dj wmk yhyw ?ya <ypla tub?